| Description |
very small, short-bodied owl; relatively short tail; overly large head has no ear tufts; facial disk has brownish and whitish radials around the edge, which fade to a whitish area around the eyes; a dark area from the base of the bill extends to the bottom inside edge of each eye; rest of the head is brownish to grey-brown densely covered with white streaks, especially on the forehead; eyes are large and bright yellow-orange; bill is black; fluffy plumage is brownish overall, streaked with white underneath and spotted on the back; flight feathers are spotted white; legs and feet are light buff and heavily feathered; toes are lightly feathered; claws are dark horn with blackish tips; |
| Sex |
females slightly larger than males, otherwise identical in appearance |
| Age |
8 years in captivity; high mortality in the wild |
| Length |
6.7-8.6" |
| Wingspan |
18-22" |
| Weight |
2.6-3.9 oz. |
| Habitat |
coniferous and deciduous forests with thickets of second-growth or shrubs; breeding habitat usually swampy or wet |
| Status |
not endangered; locally frequent |
| Range |
southeast Alaska to Mexico in the west; from the west coast of southern Canada to the east coast of the northern U.S.; winter range covers most of the Midwestern U.S. from the Rockies to the east coast; |
| Behavior |
strictly nocturnal; roost in foliage during the day, usually close to the ground; flight is rapid, woodpecker-like, and undulating; pair bonds are not believed to be permanent; males stake out territory in late March-April; once a female has been attracted, he will fly in circles above her while calling; then he begins a complex series of bobbing and shuffling; he may offer her a mouse; nests are usually in old woodpecker cavities; nesting occurs between March-July; clutch size ranges from 3-7 eggs; female does all the incubation; young fledge at 4-5 weeks and are cared for by parents for some weeks; sexually mature at 9-10 months. |
| Diet |
feed almost entirely on mammals, primarily mice, shrews and voles; other prey may include squirrels, moles, bats, small birds, and occasionally frogs and insects; |
| Vocalization |
vocalizes during breeding season only; courtship call is a monotonous, whistled "hoop", emitted at about 1.5 notes per second; this owlâ??s name comes from the "skiew" call made when alarmed; when the male flies to the nest with food it gives a rapid staccato burst of toots, and female answers with a soft "swee" |
| Other Information |
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